


A Crow's Duty

by Skyeec2



Series: The World of a Crow [22]
Category: Bloodborne (Video Game), Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Angst, Blood, Body Horror, M/M, Tags Subject to Change, bloodborne au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-28
Updated: 2017-08-21
Packaged: 2018-08-11 11:11:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7889218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skyeec2/pseuds/Skyeec2
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Strifesodoes/Bloodborne Au, where Cloud exists as a Crow and Genesis and the other Soldiers are Church Hunter. Hunting ensues.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. An Unsettling Homecoming

**Author's Note:**

> Edited by @corrupted-spirit on tumblr. Never written these characters before so I hope I don't butcher them too much before this ends.

When Cloud returns to Yharnam the night has only begun to set in, and the Hunt has long since begun. He takes a breath, observing the forms of the Yharnamites as they move through the streets. He needs to find the others.

He settles his mask over his face, readies his blades and sets off for the sanctuary hoping to discover what has occurred in his absence. He moved swiftly into the city from the forest gate, keeping an eye out for approaching enemies.

As he makes his way further into Yharnam he begins to notice that things had changed since he had left for Cainhurst, the townspeople had become violent and exhibited symptoms of the beastly scourge.

He experienced some trouble as he made his way towards the Odeon Chapel, the fastest way to the sanctuary, as his blades weren’t the best choice when fighting multiple enemies causing him to take more time than someone with more suited weapons would need.

But he is a Crow, so while others are more suited to facing hordes of beasts, he is more suited to the hunt of hunters. Crows specialized in fast-paced one-on-one combat and their weapons of choice were clear indicators of that. Cloud’s own weapons consisted of twin mini-curved swords, imbued with a highly toxic property, allowing him to deal high amounts of damage over a short amount of time.

So dealing with multiple adversaries on his own was not in his best interest, though he was eventually able to reach the Chapel. As he walks in his eyes land on the sole occupant of the room.

The being is little more than skin and bones, blackened-skin garbed in a tattered red shawl as sunken, unseeing eyes wondered vacantly around the incense-filled room. Cloud approached the being intent on figuring out what had happening in his absence.

Standing before the person, Cloud cleared his throat in order to alert the other to his presence. “Ah, a hunter, are you? Very sorry, the incense, must have, masked your scent.” The being had a breathy, masculine tone of voice, taking multiple pauses as he spoke to Cloud.

Cloud scowled behind his mask as he answered, “Not quite a hunter, just want to know what’s going on.” As he speaks to the unseeing person, his gaze travels around the room, taking in the burning incense and the surprisingly clean room.

“Ah, well you see the hunt’s on tonight and the beasts, well the beasts they’re worse than they’ve ever been…“ Cloud cuts off the dweller before he can ramble off track.

“What about the hunters? They must be doing something about this.” Cloud refused to believe that any of the hunters he knew would allow something like this to occur, unchecked for an extended period of time.

“Ah, well the hunters… they… well, it’s hard to explain.” The man’s tone was hesitant, as if afraid to give the wrong answer, “You see, they’ve left.”

“Left?” Confusion coloured Cloud’s voice, he couldn’t imagine either Angeal or Zack abandoning Yharnam, Genesis and Sephiroth certainly wouldn’t have left if the honourable hunters had stayed.

“Yes, just up and gone! A terrible thing it was; first the church started turning people away, then next thing you know almost all the hunters gone off. Scattered to the winds, they are.” The man’s voice had lost all of its previous hesitance as them spoke, uninterrupted. “There’s been a few rumours about where they’ve all disappeared to, but I wouldn’t be able to tell you if they were true or not.”

“Tell me then, a rumour is better than nothing.” Rumours were one of the best weapons in a Crow’s arsenal after all and Cloud would take any he could.

“Well, I heard that the most honourable hunter and his apprentice retreated into the ruins of Old Yharnam, deep below the cathedral ward. They say the burning hunter disappeared into the woods of Byrgenwerth with a handful of other hunters, whatever hunters left roam Yharnam without direction, it’s a sad state,” despair coloured the man’s tone, his hand wrung together nervously.

“What of Sephiroth? I would think that many a rumour would be heard about him.” Cloud kept his voice level and calm despite the growing unease he was feeling. Had they truly abandoned the town?

“You see, rumour has it that he’s in the Upper Cathedral Ward, the people said he’d been locked away somewhere up there by the Vicar. There’s no way to get there now, they barred the way, you see. Closed it off from everyone and everything, they did.”

Cloud remained silent, taking in the information the man before him had delivered, he just had to pick out the truth from the fantasy. Before he could question the man further, he was cut off by a voice from the cathedral-side entrance.

“My friend the fates are cruel, you’ve returned at a most inopportune time.” Turning in the direction of the voice, Cloud watched as the much taller Crimson Blade, Genesis confidently strode into the incense filled room.

Genesis crossed the room swiftly with his long stride, coming to stand next to Cloud in a matter of seconds. The rapier-user spared a moment to scowl down at the unseeing figure upon the ground, before focusing his attention solely on Cloud.

“I suppose you want to hear my side of the story now, don’t you?" Genesis’ usual smirk is missing, a tired facsimile taking up its place. Deep black-purple bags hang under dulled blue eyes.

The man before him, looks almost faded, Cloud would need to make sure the taller rested properly before they left the sanctuary. Nodding in agreement, Cloud led Genesis away from the dweller over to some rickety chairs for a false sense of privacy as they spoke.

“Tell me what’s going on Genesis. How did things get like this?” He kept his gaze trained on the man before him, taking off his mask in order to meet the weary eyes of the man before him.

Genesis ran a hand through short, loose auburn hair, releasing a sigh he started speaking. “The sickness has overrun the city, there’s barely a human left now and the church has locked themselves away after abandoning the town. I’m afraid that’s all I know though, went the sickness started to spread once more we decided to send hunters to investigate Byrgenwerth’s library for a solution. I was fortunate enough to survive the trip there and back, the others were not so lucky.”

A strong, glove covered hand reached up a curled unconsciously around Genesis’ shoulder blade, drawing attention to a patch of fabric in his red-leather long coat that needed to be sewn back together. Most likely an injury sustained on his travel through the woods.

Cloud reached out unthinkingly, moving Genesis’ hand away so he could inspect the area beneath the cloth for injury. The taller man flinched in surprise but remained still and allowed Cloud to check his shoulder.

Assuring himself that the other was alright, Cloud repeated his most pressing question. “What about the others Genesis? Why have they dispersed as they have? What is this rumour of Sephiroth being trapped by the church?”

The hunter hesitated momentarily, turning his gaze from Cloud’s own sky-blue gaze and reaching up to lightly grasp Cloud’s smaller hand in his warm grip. His voice was quiet as he spoke, “My friend the fates are cruel, I’ve not seen them since leaving for Byrgenwerth.”

A soft sigh left Cloud’s mouth as he contemplated the best course of action to take, “We should start by descending into Old Yharnam, rumours more often than not prove to be true.”

“And what if we are unable to find the others there?” Genesis questions, his gaze returning to Cloud’s own. “What then?”

A grim smile settled over Cloud’s face as he gave his reply, “Then we’ll find new rumours to follow up, Yharnam’s only so big after all.”


	2. Descent into Old Yharnam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cloud and Genesis search for Angeal in the ruins of Old Yharnam.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really hope I'm doing these characters right, I've written up a sheet on how and why they act the way they do in this particular AU that may or may not result in a series of one-shots further detailing all the little things that doon't nesecarrily fit here.  
> As always edited by @corrupted-spirit over on Tumblr

When Genesis was sufficiently rested they set out for the ruins of Old Yharnam, the taller hunter leading the way to the sealed off city. Swiftly dealing with the few diseased townsfolk that attempted to hinder them, they soon arrived at the ancient door sectioning off Central Yharnam from the charred remains below.

Upon opening the door, the two were greeted with the overwhelming scent of charred flesh, hair and blood that had long saturated the air of Old Yharnam. Cloud shifted his mask over his face, thankful for the herbs kept in the hollow beak of the gear.

Genesis was not so fortunate, the hunters had no such implement in their arsenal so the crimson hunter had to make due with an improvised scrap of cloth tied around his lower face.

Gazing across the skyline of Old Yharnam Cloud observed multiple tendrils of smoke curl into the air from the still smouldering bodies of the diseased townspeople. Fleeting shadows ran through the smoke, just barely visible to Cloud’s eyes in the distance.

Genesis imbued his Rapier with burning flame as they advanced further into the ruins before them. Cloud kept close to the man, allowing the beast hunter to progress first and deal with the firefearing creatures as was his expertise. 

Genesis made quick work of the beasts that charged at them from the front, leaving Cloud to deal with any beast that would attempt to attack the hunter from behind. No matter how little the hunter thought of it, it was still an impressive thing to Cloud that Genesis would trust his back to him.

After all, Hunters as a rule didn’t care for Crows.

A sudden increase in the intensity of the flame encasing Genesis’ sword drew Cloud’s eye to the hunter’s figure as he effortlessly cut through the beasts attempting to swarm the hunter. Then again, Genesis had never been one to follow expectations.

A clothcovered creature charged in an attempt to attack the hunter, only to be met by Cloud’s blades sliding into it’s flesh. Rapid slashes from the poisonimbued knives made quick work of the creature, resulting in a quick onesided conflict as Cloud tore into the beast without allowing it a chance to respond.

Cloud turned away from the beast as it fell to the ground, continuing in Genesis’ shadow as the hunter picked his way around the mounted burning corpses and architecture that was popular even in Central Yharnam.

Before them, a dark seemingly empty stone courtyard opened up below them. A fleeting figure could barely be seen between the plumes of heavy dark smoke, rising from the ground below them.

 Ignoring the shadow for the time being, they continued their descent into the depth of the city, finding a ladder that would give them direct access to the courtyard below. The two were quick to descend the odd ladder, into the courtyard they had seen from above.

The courtyard was inhabited by large black crows, some of which attempted to attack them but were cut down by Genesis’ blade. Moving through the courtyard, they were accosted by beasts charging at them through the veil of smoke.

Beasts were far too fearful of fire to be any danger to them, they recoiled at the very sight of the flame imbued sword cowering from them momentarily before they were cut down.

After the courtyard lay a shadowy, dim stone church they which they entered through a side door. The inside of the chapel was empty of creatures; the faint sound of crackling fire could be heard from the lowest floor of the church.

Reaching the floor of the chapel, they discovered the crucified remains of a large beast hanging over the bloodstained floor. The dead beast's fur was still ignited with fire, lighting up the darkened chapel slightly, revealing a figure kneeling before the hanging beast.

Cloud strode forward, pulling ahead of Genesis. This figure before them in the centre of the room was a human and Cloud had been trained specifically to kill hunters. A few feet away from the blood pool, the shadowed figure spoke up.

“This is no place for Hunters anymore, the Church ordered these people's death long ago. Leave this place, find somewhere else to hunt.” A pause as the figure shifted, picking up a large sword from the ground. “Either way I won’t allow you pass this point.”

Cloud froze as he recognized the voice of the figure. Genesis’ hand gripped his upper arm, flicking his gaze towards the hunter he saw that the man’s face was pale and drawn. Cloud stepped down, allowing Genesis a chance to speak with the figure before them.

“Angeal, my friend…” Genesis trailed off, unsure of what to say to his old friend. 

“Huh, Genesis. Of course you’re here, after all ‘even if the morrow is barren of promises, nothing will forestall your return,’ isn’t that right?” Angeal stood up, towering over both Genesis and Cloud both through height and shear bulk, turning his eyes narrowed in distrust upon seeing Cloud’s form behind Genesis. “You’ve brought the crow, have you?”

“We became concerned when we saw the state of the city,” Genesis voice held a forcedcalm tone, trying to keep his cool while speaking to the larger hunter. It wouldn’t do them any good to argue with the sword wielder. “We heard some… unpleasant things and we’ve been trying to find someone since.”

Angeal’s brow became furrowed, turning his eyes from Genesis as he crossed his large muscular arms over his broad chest, he handled his great sword as easily as Cloud handled his own far smaller blades. “That doesn’t matter anymore. We’ve failed the town; the Church has turned their backs on everyone, and we hunters…” A grim smile twisted the man’s face, his tone grew tense with anger and disgust. “well, we mightn’t be any different than the beasts we hunt.” 

“What of your honour then?!” Genesis exclaimed in angry, confusion, “All of your dreams, everything you’ve ever worked towards?! Everything I’ve ever worked towards?!” Genesis was enraged by what the heavyset hunter was implying, after all they had both worked studiously to get to where they were currently, their skills had been honed through years of practice.

Angeal braced himself, steadying his stance and raising his sword to the two before him. His eyes hardened, staring at them impassively he spoke, “Beasts have no honour, but with whatever honour I have left… I won’t allow to pass.” Angeal shot forward suddenly, slamming his large blade into the ground where Genesis had been standing a mere moment ago.

Cloud shifted into action when he saw that the heavyset hunter was preparing to attack, jerking Genesis out of the way and dashing around to the left of the hunter. Angeal’s swings consisted mostly of crossbody swings from right to left and left to right in succession so keeping to Angeal’s right was an ideal way to keep out of the larger man’s sword.

Cloud cautiously circled around the hunter, if he wasn’t careful, then the hunter would be able to overpower him in a matter of seconds. He drew the hunter away from where Genesis was sprawled on the floor in stunned surprise.

Cloud dodged around Angeal’s swings, buying time for Genesis to regain his footing and decide how he wanted to progress with the situation. He wouldn’t attack the hunter if he could afford it, but if Angeal gave him no other option… Well, it would only be proving Angeal right about him, wouldn’t it?

A slim blade meet Angeal’s thrust, directing the blow away from the crow’s form, Genesis had regained his footing and joined the fight. Cloud regained some distance between himself and the two beast hunters, watching the two men closely.

“Reconsider old friend!” Genesis pleaded fruitlessly, “We don’t need to resort to such violence, Angeal!” But no matter what the slimmer man said, the larger man refused to listen, continuing his crossbody swings at the other hunter. 

For several minutes Cloud circled around the two beast hunter’s locked in combat, forced to listen while Genesis pleaded to deaf ears. The crow doubted that this could be settled peacefully, he could see the moment Genesis came to that realization. The hunter’s face twisted minutely with grief, his movements staggering slightly.

That had been the herald of the battle’s end.

Genesis crumbled under the force of Angeal’s next swing, the attacks coming far too frequently to allow the lither hunter a moment to regain his footing. His gaze focused on the form of his childhood friend standing over him preparing to run him through with his large sword. He kept his eyes focused on Angeal’s own, unaware of Cloud moving behind the larger hunter.

Cloud slams his knives deep into Angeal’s back causing a gasp left Angeal’s mouth, his grip on his sword slackening until it falls from his hands completely. Angeal falls to his knees before Genesis as Cloud twists the imbedded blades further through his body before ripping them from the larger man’s back.

Angeal’s breathe grows ragged and pained, he lifts his head sluggishly, meeting Genesis’ gaze one last time. “I told you, didn’t I?” His mouth twists in pain as he fights to finish his last thoughts, “A crow… they can’t be trusted. I’m sorry… old friend, I had hoped we could fix things one day…”

Angeal’s breathing slowed until it was none existent, until he took his final breath. His body became slack in Genesis’ arms and the smaller hunter is left clutching his friend’s lifeless corpse. 

Cloud comes to rest next to where the hunter’s form is shaking with barely repressed tears, waiting until the other makes some indication that any comfort he could provide would be welcome. Cloud doesn’t expect Genesis to want to interact with him, after being the tool to end his best friends’ life.

Cloud remained stationary until, to his surprise, he felt Genesis’ hand grasp onto his own tightly, he returned the grip with his own vicelike grasp, rubbing fingers against the gloved knuckles of the other’s hands. Genesis presses his face into the large featherlike cloak on Cloud’s back, Cloud waits for the other to be ready to face the reality outside the church.

They have time, after all, the night is still young and the hunt has only just begun.


	3. Cathedral of the Beast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The descent into the deepest part of the city, reveals yet more sorrow for the dear hunter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a mess to write. I've never really written fight scenes but my editor bro; @corrupted-spirit on Tumblr, didn't raise any red flags so I guess it's ok?

They soon reach the lowest point of the burned city. They had continued down into the burned ruins of Old Yharnam, eventually coming to the decrepit remains of an old church.

The old church lies amidst a destroyed graveyard, what few creatures around the area are dispatched swiftly either by Genesis’ rapier or Cloud’s blades. The door is ancient, wooden and rotting, barely hanging upon its hinges. The door almost screams as it opens.

The room that is revealed is dimly lit by burning candles, dark stone pillars line the room casting large shadows upon the wall, leaving a large portion of the area in darkness. At the very end of the hall, a large, monstrous figure is hunched in on itself, facing away from them and leaving them without a clear view of its deformed figure.

What they can see of the creature is dark, matted fur covering a large torso, skin stretched thin showing the vertebrae and ribs almost sticking out of the beast’s body. It’s skull and majority of the upper body are hidden by thicker strands of pitch-black hair-like spikes. The creature’s limbs look muscular, even from a distance, corded muscles covered in sparse fur.

Cloud spares a glance at Genesis, the crimson hunter has his blade at the ready, waiting for the chance to set the sword ablaze and sink the burning blade into flesh. Cloud readjusts the grip on his curved swords and steps further into the room.

As they reach the halfway point of the room, the beast before them swings around to face them.

It’s face barely holds anything that could be recognized as human, it’s mouth opens to reveal teeth perfect for rending flesh and crushing bone, it’s purple eyes rove with madness, elongated ears pricked up towards them. Sharp, claws tip, large hands and feet, scraping across the ground as the large beast ambles towards them.

The beast stops after a few feet and screams at them, it’s warped vocal cords only able to produce a low garbled growl. It leaps at them, swinging a muscular claw at them and the battle begins.

The two dodge away in opposite directions, Cloud glimpses a flash of red as Genesis sets his sword ablaze, before he focuses his attention solely on the creature before him, searching for opportunities to get in and attack the large creature.

Up close the creature is almost twice their size, which proves a problem as it’s limbs have a larger reach than most of the beast’s they’ve had to face thus far. But it’s not nearly the deadliest nor the largest thing they’ve ever fought, so they are soon able to whittle away at the beast, the rapier’s fire helps immensely in this regard as it does in any fight against beasts.

Though the damage they did seemed to have little effect on the creature, it continued to lunge and swipe at them, leaving very little openings for Cloud and Genesis to safely attack, causing them to have to take a riskier approach to the battle.

This proved unfortunate for Cloud when the creature suddenly changed its attack pattern as he slashed his blade into the creature’s flank. The creature shifted suddenly, muscular arm moving across its large torso and slamming into Cloud’s side.

“Cloud!” Genesis’ voice raises in alarm as the force of the beast’s swing forced the air from Cloud’s lungs in a sudden exhale as it flung him across the room into a far wall. He counted himself lucky that he hadn’t lost hold of his blades.

Cloud lays crumpled against the wall for a moment listening to the sounds of Genesis continuing to engage the beast, buying him some time to regain his bearings. As he lifted himself up to his knees, his hand brushed against something.

The bright flare of Genesis’ blade, lit up the darkness around Cloud as the creature attempted to attack the smaller male. The figure revealed by the flame causes the air to rush from Cloud’s lungs in a surprised gasp.

Laying on the ground before him was the body of a young woman. Her torso had been torn open and what was left of her dress had been drenched in blood, leaving the cloth a dark ruddy-red colour. The majority of her face had been left untouched, her big green eyes stared out of sunken pale skin frozen in the terror of her final moments.

She was very familiar to Cloud; he had seen Zack talking to her in the Cathedral Ward, to his knowledge her name was Aerith. Though the image of the bright, cheerful young woman was a far cry from the gutted corpse before him.

A booming screech tore through Cloud’s thoughts as Genesis’ blade impacted the beast’s large torso, staggering the creature for a moment. The small moment provided the hunter with the opportunity he needed to rekindle his blade.

Cloud abandoned the corpse, moving swiftly to the creature capitalizing on the opportunity before him in order to deal some damage to the massive beast. He leapt out of the way of the creature’s massive arms, continuously moving around the beast in order to distract it from Genesis, giving the man a moment's reprise from the beast’s full attention.

The battle was ended when Genesis drove his burning sword into the beast’s chest, the hunter forcing the blade through the beast’s fur and flesh until he was unable to force the blade any further.

A strangled noise left the beast’s warped vocal cords as Genesis tore his blade from its body, it’s massive limbs dropped to the ground as the strength began to fade from the creature. The creature’s breathing grew heavy as it lifted its head once more.

The once burning eyes had cleared, displaying a sense of humanity in their rapidly fading purple depths, the creature attempted to lift one of its arms but was unable to move it more than an inch before whatever strength failed it.

“Ge…” The sound startled Cloud, it sounded almost like…

“Gen… I-t… hurts,” Cloud griped the hunter’s shoulder as he collapsed to his knees in front of the beast, in front of Zack. A ragged sob broke Genesis’ composer as Zack gave one final agonised breath before falling still.

Cloud and Genesis remained slumped on the damp stone for an undetermined time, Cloud was attempting to organise his thoughts while Genesis rested the majority of his weight against him. If that truly was Zack, then Angeal had been guarding the way to him in that burning church and it must have been Zack who had murdered the young woman.

Cloud’s hand moved in a soothing manner along the hunter’s back, allowing the man to grieve for the death of one of his only remaining friends. Genesis’ hoarse voice spoke up as Cloud ran gloved fingers through the thin knots in the hunter’s long auburn hair.

“Not long after you left Zack started acting odd, he was forgetting things and was getting more and more irritated as the days passed. We had hoped that Byrgenwerth would hold some way to save him but…” Genesis’ words broke off with a scoff, “it’s obvious that I was too late to help.”

Cloud had remained silent to that point, waiting for the hunter to finish verbalizing his thoughts. He only spoke once he was sure Genesis had finished, speaking though he knew that nothing he could say would help the hunter. “You did all that you could, they’d understand that.”

“If I had only returned sooner – “

“You would have been helping Angeal kill anyone who wandered to far down here.” Cloud cut off the hunter’s outburst swiftly, continuing on as Genesis glared up at him. “You would have shoved Zack in here as he lost himself and you would have to bear partial responsibility for Aerith’s death at his hands.”

“Aerith’s…?” Genesis voice trailed off, shocked confusion colouring the girls’ name, Cloud gave a short jerk to indicate where he had found the young woman’s body.

The hunter twisted in the indicated direction, the breath leaving his body in a rush at the form he was just able to make out in the gloom. A choked, pained noise escaped from his throat before he spoke in a hoarse voice, “My friends, the fates are cruel…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So close to the ending, yay! If you've enjoyed this story be on the lookout for the series of shorts that delve into the backstory of this AU.


	4. Ascension to the Orphanage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Crow and Hunter make their way into the horror of the Choir's Orphanage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be the final chapter, but then things happened and I decided it was best to post this part as a separate it as it's own chapter.  
> Edited by @corrupted-spirit over on Tumblr. Enjoy the story

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They take a moment to rest before continuing, it allows Cloud the chance to thread the new feathers into his cloak. A black feather for Angeal, and a white for the person Zack used to be. He hadn’t expected to ever thread a white feather into his cloak, when his mentor had explained how he had earned the white feathers in his own cloak he hadn’t believed that he would ever be able to do such a thing.

Genesis was watching him closely as he arranged the feathers in such a way that the white feather wasn’t being hidden by the surrounding sea of black, he had watched him thread feathers into his cloak before, so understood what the basic black feathers meant.

The hunter’s hand reached over his own and ran his fingers over the single white feather now resting in his cloak, he had once told the hunter what each of the possible feathers in a Crow’s cloak meant so Genesis was very aware of what the two new feathers meant.

Once they were sufficiently rested they began to make their way back to the chapel, hoping to find some new clues to help them decide where to go next. They were pleasantly surprised by what they would discover for them when they returned.

Upon opening the door to the nearly empty chapel, they found that the door leading to the Old Workshop has been opened somehow. A quick inspection of the room reveals that the dweller remained the only living thing there and the blind man was as confused about the door as they were.

“It was all quiet, you know and then I heard a loud noise. I guess that must’ve been the door opening, but the strange thing is that I didn’t hear any footsteps or the like. Like, the door opened all on its own,” the man paused for a moment, as if something had just occurred to him. “but now that I think about it… it might have been one of you Hunter folk.” The final comment was spoken hesitantly, the dweller drawing into himself as he finished talking.

The two ignored the man’s behaviour, both far too fatigued by the events experienced in Old Yharnam to give any thought to the stranger. Together they strode away from the dweller, Cloud falling behind the beast hunter by a step in order to observe the other.

Genesis was missing his usual confident stride, though his long legs still carried him forward there was an unusual stiffness to his movement. There was no mistaking the drawn look on the other’s face as they ascended via the open stone elevator.

The hunter was taking things about as well as Cloud expected him too, the taller had lost his closest friends not even hours before and that weighed heavily on his conscious. Cloud didn’t know how to help his friend, as a Crow social interactions were not something he had to have knowledge in so all he could do was stand by the other and provide whatever support he was able to give to the man.

A brief flash of light in the room they were entering had Cloud dashing around the still unaware hunter and slamming his knives into the soft unprotected flesh of their would-be attacker’s throat.

Genesis barely spared the corpse a glance, as he moved along the open walkway to the tower housing the stairway leading to the Upper Cathedral Ward. A few individuals stood in there way, though they could hardly be called human anymore, their statures were hunched and their faces distorted with extended teeth and stretched mouths.

These people were stricken with the beastly scourge, stumbling about and widely swinging makeshift weapons in misshapen claw-like hands in the hope of causing some amount of harm to them. Though they were cut down easily by the burning blade of Rapier, the hunter hardly acknowledging one fallen enemy before another took its place on the blade of his sword.

Cloud offered a soft prayer to these forsaken townsfolk, following Genesis’ long strides up the staircase. Leaving Cloud to make up the distance between the two of them with his slighter frame and shorter stride.

It was only at the door leading into the Ward did the two pause, before them lay the way to hopefully finding their last missing friend while deep below them stood the workshop where many of the hunter’s weapons had been forged, refined and perfected over the years since its creation.

Genesis stared blankly at the ornate stone door before them, after a moment’s hesitation Cloud placed the palm of his gloved hand at the centre of the other’s back.

Hesitant, pained blue eyes turn down to meet Cloud’s mask covered face. “What if we find him?” Genesis shouldn’t sound so defeated and downtrodden. His words also concerned Cloud, ‘What if we find him’ not ‘What if we don’t’. The Crow didn’t know how to answer that question, but he needed to tell the hunter something.

So he spoke.

Removing his mask from where it was situated, he dragged the crimson hunter down to the ground with him. They were safe here for the moment, they could take the time to speak and strengthen their resolve.

He fixed his own bright blue eyes on Genesis’ darker pair, ensuring the other’s attention as he spoke. “I don’t know,” his voice was quiet, solemn keeping Genesis’ attention upon him. “But, what I do know is that we’ll try. If we can save him than we will.”

“And if we can’t?” Genesis questioned as Cloud paused, taking a steadying breath before he spoke once again.

“Then we’ll release him,” He kept his eyes trained on Genesis’ own, “he wouldn’t want anyone to remember him as a monster any more than Angeal or Zack would.” Cloud was sure of that much, Sephiroth had always strived to be the best he could be in order to get the people of the Church to respect him as more than some Cainhurst reject.

Genesis was quiet, his brow scrunched slightly as he thought through Cloud’s words, eventually giving a shaky nod in agreement before he pressed his brow to Cloud’s own. Cloud remained still under the hunter, squeezing the hands that had trapped his own in a vice-grip. Time passed silently as the two remained as they were, the space between them filled with naught but their own breathing.

A shift of movement had Genesis pressing a chaste kiss to the Crow’s lips, lingering momentarily before reluctantly pulling away. Cloud allowed the brief, fleeting sensation knowing that there would be time for more pleasurable activities later and if the hunter’s eyes were wet when he opened them, well, none but Cloud would ever know.

Cloud slid his mask back into place as the two stood, taking a second to shake out any stiffness in his legs, as prepared as they could be to enter the mysterious home of the Choir. Only the most elite of the Church could even enter here, let alone reside.

As one of the three greatest hunters of the Church Genesis had access to all areas in Yharnam, including the few areas that normal hunters were restricted from. Cloud himself had only entered a scarce number of times, usually when the Choir suspected traitors amongst their midst or on the occasions that Sephiroth personally requested his assistance with something.

The latter occurred more often than the former, when Cloud truly thought about it. The Cainhurst descendant was notoriously distrustful of the natives of Yharnam, leading him to very nearly stalking one of the only other people born in the frozen landscape surrounding the ancient castle, Cloud himself.

But that was a train of thought for another time, the ornate door opened as Genesis unlocked it with the dark-iron key revealing a distance building shrouded by a heavy fog. The stone bridge connecting the building to where they currently were seemed to draw in the pale moonlight.

As they traversed the fog they discovered that the thin structure of the bridge was dotted with strange statues, becoming more and more frequent as they continued through the fog until they were everywhere. Cloud was unable to guess what the statues were meant to represent, the cloaked hunched figures were spread out everywhere around them.

Cloud turned his eyes away to the gothic architecture that loomed from the fog. The Choir called this building the Orphanage if he remembered correctly, though for reasons unknown to him. He doubted that even Sephiroth, who had been practically raised here knew the reason behind its name.

The main building was enclosed by a large iron-wrought fence, it’s door was shut and the windows were dark. They would need to find their own way into the building.

Moving along the side of the gate, they found a crumbling stairway leading to an open side door displaying the pitch-blank interior of the Orphanage. A large, heavy-set scythe wielder stood in front of the door, barring them from entry though between the two of them it was simple enough to deal with him.

Entering the building Cloud froze at the sounds he heard issuing from further in the dark building. Genesis turned to him, after he set his hand lantern to burn upon his belt, a questioning light visible in his eyes. A moment passed before he too had registered the sounds echoing in the dark.

Cloud couldn’t quite explain what he was hearing as he had never heard anything quite like it before. It was an echoing wet, breathy sound intermittent with both a low rumbling growl and an offsetting sucking sound. Looking up at Genesis, Cloud was surprised at the look of recognition on the hunter’s face. Had Genesis encountered whatever was ahead of them before?

Before Cloud was able to verbalise his question, the hunter spoke, “Whatever you do, don’t let it grab you.” Genesis readied his sword but forewent engulfing it in flame. If Genesis was foregoing engulfing his Rapier, was the creature before them, not a beast then? What else could it possibly be though?

His unasked question was answered when they entered the darkened room, before them stood something that had once probably been human but now was something completely different. It was wearing rags that vaguely resembled the clothing worn by the members of the Choir and its skin was far too pale, almost translucent. The things limbs were long and spindly, looking like they could barely support the thing, it’s back was to them obscuring the face of the being.

Genesis took a steadying breath beside him and charged at the creature, piercing into the thing’s sickly flesh with his sword. The thing turned to Genesis, stunning Cloud momentarily before he too began to assault the creature, its face was waxy and lacked the features that distinguished person from person, it lacked a nose, mouth and defining features, the entire lower-half of its head was made up of a mass of writhing tentacles.

It was far sturdier than a human and had attempted to perform some kind of magic, though Genesis was able to finish it off before it had finished casting. Cloud stared at the corpse of the creature, unable to repress his unease at how wrong the thing was. It was far too unnatural to be human but was too human to be anything else.

Genesis’ voice broke him from his circling thoughts, “We found one of this things by the gate of the woods, we didn’t know what it was and it managed to grab one of the others.” A pause as the hunter organised his thoughts. “Something shot out of the thing’s head and it… I’m not sure what it did, but whatever it was he didn’t survive it. We tried to burn it, but it didn’t do much of anything.”

Cloud hadn’t heard of anything like that before, what kind of creature wasn’t weak to fire?  Was there more going on than what the Church was telling them?

Genesis’ gaze remained firm where they stared at the corpse. “There was another in the Byrgenwerth courtyard and we discovered that they don’t take too kindly to electricity.”

The grim smile that twisted Cloud’s expression was hidden by his mask. “A lot of good that is for us.” Rapier was created so that when it was tricked it became imbued by fire, meaning it was unable to be imbued by anything else and Cloud’s own blades were unable to be imbued with anything other than the toxicity they were forged with in times long passed.

A scoff issued from the hunter’s throat. “Yes, we’re just going to have to deal with little disadvantage, aren’t we?” Genesis strode through an open door into the dark hallway.

Cloud chose not to respond to the other, instead falling into step a few feet behind. They moved through the small side hallway easily until they reached the wide open area that made up the central hall.

As they made their way down the central staircase three large, monstrous lycanthropes attacked them at the halfway point. The wolves were large, much larger than Cloud and covered in dark shaggy fur. They stared at them with burning blue eyes, set over a maw filled with sharp teeth dripping with saliva.

Cloud was of little use here, so he swiftly moved back up the stairs moving to the other set of stairs in an attempt to draw at least one of the large wolves from the others in order to give Genesis a fairer fight.

His plan worked for almost two minutes, he was able to lure one of the wolves from its brothers, sliding knives into its flesh as he drew it in the opposite way from where Genesis was now engaging the other two, Rapier ablaze. It was a situation Cloud would’ve been able to handle if not for the fourth yet unseen lycanthrope that came barrelling out of the darkness to where Cloud was dodging around sharp teeth and sharper claws.

Cloud chanced a glance at Genesis, seeing that the hunter had already dispatched one of the wolves. He steadied his resolve to hold out for as long as he was able to in order to give the hunter the time he needed to come to his assistance.

Cloud was able to keep up dodging around the two wolves until Genesis was halfway down the stairs, rushing to assist him. A sharp, sudden pain flaring up his flank informed him that one of the wolves had managed to sink its claws into his flesh. It took all his determination and years of training in order to repress the scream of pain that threatened to escape his throat.

“Cloud!” Genesis’ voice called out, tone panicked as he tried to reach where Cloud had fallen. The large wolf turned to the hunter, the sound of his voice drawing its attention away from Cloud.

Cloud lay slumped on the ground, his hand pressed to the bleeding wound of his side, watching through glazed eyes as the hunter moved forward and slashed his blade through the flank of the large creature.

Genesis crouched down to his level when he reached his side, pressing his own hands over where Cloud had his own pressed tight over his wound, feeling the fine tremors of the hunter’s hands over his own. Cloud kept his eyes trained upon Genesis’ face, seeing how pale the hunter’s skin was as he fumbled next to Cloud’s body momentarily.

The hunter fumbled in his coat momentarily, before slumping slightly in defeat, he didn’t have anything left to bind the wounds. That wasn’t surprising to Cloud, Genesis had most likely used his last bandages before he returned to Yharnam and hadn’t been able to obtain more.

There was one way they could deal with the still bleeding wounds and neither of them were looking forward to it.

Cloud drew in a deep breath, looking up at the hunter as he spoke, “You’ve got to…” heavy breathing broke off Cloud’s words, he continued when he saw Genesis pick up his blade, “be quick…”

Cloud gritted his teeth one more, refusing to give voice to any sound that might result from this. Heat bathed the side of his body as Genesis ignited his sword before bringing it close to the wound.

He was unable to contain the scream that escaped his throat when the hunter pressed the flat of the burning blade into his side, red-hot pain consumed his system as the flesh under and around the burning weapon. The searing flesh started to emit the disgusting smell of burnt flesh as the skin bubbled from the intense heat.

All these sensations combined caused the darkness lurking at the edge of Cloud’s consciousness overwhelmed him and he fell into unconsciousness.


	5. The Night's End

Cloud regained consciousness an undeterminable amount of time later to the sound of rushed, frantic noises coming from above him, he could feel warm hands clutching his own in a tight grip. He groaned harshly and the noises that might have been words stopped momentarily, replaced by the sounds of shifting leather as a shadow fell over his face.

“–oud?!” His fingers twitched as the noises became words in his ears, his senses slowly remembering how to differentiate between sounds. He groaned once again as he tried to force his fingers to move, sharp, stinging needles travelling up his limb as his digits refused to cooperate with him. “Don’t move, just give it a moment to work.”

Cloud recognized that voice as Genesis’, it was tense and shaking but it was still his partner’s voice. He forced his eyes open slowly, staring up at the blurred mass of colour above him as he waited for things to come back into focus.

His thoughts moved sluggishly, trying to put things in order and remember what had brought them to here. He felt his side twinge with the remembered agony of being torn open and fused shut with the touch red-hot metal, the sensations that had stolen his consciousness from him and left him tethering between life and death. He assumed that the reason he wasn’t being wrecked with pain was because Genesis had given him a number of blood vials in a desperate attempt to keep him alive.

He focused back on the figure above him, gaze finally clear enough to make out the panic and worry that painted the other’s features as Genesis stared down at him, offering a wan smile to the other man. Genesis’ face broke into a smile with a relieved, almost-hysteric laugh and he dropped his head to hide his features with his long, red hair for a moment, taking a deep, steadying breath and lifting his face back to meet Cloud’s gaze a few moments later.

“I thought –“ Genesis started, words breaking off with a shuddering breath before he attempted to so once again. “I thought you weren’t going to wake.” Genesis’ eyes were watery, his voice heavy and wavering with emotion and his hands tightening around Cloud’s own.

“It’s alright,” Cloud croaked, his voice rough and course from his previous bout of screaming. “You did what you needed to do,” he continued, chest heaving as he forced himself to continue speaking. “I’m still here.” His hand twitched in Genesis’ grip, his fingers curling weakly over the other’s hand.

“You’re right,” Genesis breathed, gently guiding Cloud’s hand to his cheek and nuzzling his limp hand. “You’ll be fine,” one of his own hands reached up to wipe the wetness away from his eyes before he continued. “We need to get you somewhere safe so you can rest.”

“No,” Cloud said, his free hand pressing flat against the floor as he forced himself upright. Pain shot through him, threatening to send him back to the floor, but he forced himself through it despite Genesis trying to keep him lying flat. “We can’t leave until we know Sephiroth’s fate.”

“Cloud,” Genesis started, preparing to argue with him to abandon the search for the silver-haired man but Cloud cut him off before he could say anymore.

“I’m not going to leave him to die alone,” Cloud stated, keeping his voice as firm as he could with the pain shooting through his system. “Especially not here of all places.”

Genesis stared at him with furrowed brows and pursed lips, but released a soft sigh after a few moments of silence. “Then you stay here while I go look for him,” Genesis ordered, staring him down until he agreed. “I’ll search as quick as I can and if he’s not here we’ll leave.”

“Thank you,” Cloud responded, relaxing into a position that didn’t cause pain to shoot through him with each breath. “Be careful,” he cautioned as Genesis finally released his captured hand and stood from his position, watching the man move with a stilted sort of grace that informed him that the other had been kneeling next to him for some time.

“I will,” Genesis promised, giving him what might have been an attempt of a confident smile before turning away from Cloud to search the side rooms of the large hall they were in.

Cloud watched him until the hunter’s form was consumed by the shadows of the hall and then close his eyes, forcing down the feeling of helplessness that threatened to rise in his chest at his inability to help the other find his friend. He could only hope that Genesis would find Sephiroth before the fate that had befallen the others, befell him as well.

* * *

 

Cloud waited for over an hour before Genesis returned, remaining where he sat and acutely aware of everything going on around him; the hollow sound of the wind carrying the distant cries of beasts and human alike, the creeping shadows of the hall around him and the feeling of the blood Genesis had given him rushing through his system and healing the ugly wound of his side with unnatural swiftness.

His first signal that Genesis was returning was the sound of quick, heavy footfalls echoing off the walls of the Orphanage, growing louder as they approached him until he could distinguish that there was a second set of quieter footsteps alongside the first. He turned in the direction they were coming from, gingerly rising to his feet in preparation to flee whatever had caused the panic in his partner.

Genesis emerged from the shadows in a burst of colour, closely following by Sephiroth’s taller form. Cloud allowed himself a moment of relief at seeing them both unharmed, though that word might not fit the silver hunter if his pallor and obvious favouring of his right arm was to be believed.

Genesis barely paused by him, halting only a moment to bark a command at him. “We need to leave now!”

Cloud nodded without question, following his partner’s lead easily and managing to keep pace with Sephiroth as Genesis strode in front of them, blade drawn and ready to cut down any unfortunate enough to cross the path of their flight. Now that he was running with them he could tell that Sephiroth was in worse shape than he had initially thought, his breathing was irregularly and uneven – something that should not have happened after the numerous years the man had spent honing his body and skills to perfection.

They moved without stopping, only pausing while on the elevator connecting the Upper Cathedral Ward to the rest of Yharnam. From there Genesis immediately turned them towards the nearest exit of the city, the one opposite of Byrgenwerth’s forest path and leading towards the towns being the great city and the ocean-side trading post.

He didn’t let them stop until they were several miles outside of Yharnam, close to the tree that served as the final resting place of Cloud’s predecessor. Sephiroth nearly collapsed when Genesis finally called them to a halt, falling to the ground in a heap of shaking flesh and tore clothing. Cloud dropped beside him, finally giving his friend a thorough look over now that they were far from whatever had driven them to their frantic escape.

Sephiroth’s skin was a sickly grey and there were deep, heavy bags around his sunken eyes. He was thinner than Cloud had ever seen him and shaking from a bone-deep cold that was unaffected by the world around him. Cloud wrapped his cloak around the other’s shoulders helplessly, noticing the numerous needle-marks that covered the skin of Sephiroth’s arms as he did so.

Genesis was pacing behind him, an endless, repetitive movement that filled the silence between them as they caught their breaths, slowly calming from the mad rush that their escape had been. Cloud froze suddenly, looking at Genesis over his shoulder as he realised that he was still unaware of exactly what they had been fleeing from in the first place. “What happened?” He asked, waiting for one of them to answer him.

“There were,” Genesis started in a rush, stopping when his words seemed to bloat the tongue in his mouth. His next attempt, though slower, was no less frantic. “There were things, spread out everywhere and they were all dead,” Genesis’ form shuddered and he wrapped his arms around himself, shaken by the sight that he had seen. “There was something giant amongst them as well, practically in front of where Sephiroth was bound. It was unlike anything I’d ever seen.” His final words were accompanied by a harsh shudder and he dropped to his knees before Cloud, staring at him with an intense gaze. “Whatever they used him for, it wasn’t anything that humans should be doing.”

Cloud remained silent, deciding to allow the other to remain ignorant as to the secrets behind the founding of the Healing Church and the discoveries of Byrgenwerth. Yharnam was being destroyed from the inside, he didn’t need to bring up their search for the Great Ones as a way to elevate their own status.

He was saved from having to say anything by Sephiroth falling against him in an unconscious slump, the tall man finally succumbing to the stress of an unknown amount of time and whatever the Choir had done to him in order to beckon the Great One into their realm. Cloud caught him before the man could fall to the ground, gently lowering him until Sephiroth was lying flat on the ground.

“The next town’s a day away,” Cloud said, turning his attention back to Genesis. “Let’s rest a bit before we start the journey.” There wasn’t much of a threat to them out here so Cloud felt safe enough to suggest resting to the hunter.

Genesis nodded his agreement, turning his gaze back to the high walls of Yharnam. Cloud followed his gaze but there was nothing out of the ordinary about the walls, nothing that showed the destruction that was currently wreaking chaos within the streets of the city.

Cloud didn’t doubt that whatever was left of the Church would sweep this under the rug, that they destroy what remained of Yharnam themselves before tearing down the city. They’d be far away from them by then though, out of the reach of the Church and trying to make their own ways in the world.

He reached out and pulled Genesis towards him, cradling the other’s form against his own as he was suddenly flooded by a bone-deep relief. He was so glad that they had somehow managed to survive the night, even if everything had been destroyed around them.

Cloud would ensure that they survived this; it was a new dawn and they were free to go their own ways, to do whatever they wanted to with the rest of their lives. He would make sure that they never returned to Yharnam or the Healing Church ever again.

Their lives were their own now.


End file.
